Homemade Lime Curd Food

FRESH LIME CURD

Steps:

• Place the sugar, butter, lime juice, lime zest in the top of a double boiler; stir over medium-high heat until butter melts. Mix 2 tablespoons hot lime mixture into the eggs and stir to blend.
• Reduce heat to medium until water simmers. Slowly whisk egg mixture into the lime mixture. Cook over the double boiler until lime mixture thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool slightly and spoon into a clean, glass jar. Cover and refrigerate.

LIME CURD

Steps:

• Whisk the sugar, 1 tablespoon lime zest, the lime juice and salt in a medium saucepan. Whisk the whole eggs and yolks in a small bowl, then whisk into the lime mixture.
• Cook the mixture over medium heat, whisking constantly, until it¿s thick like pudding, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter a few pieces at a time until incorporated.
• Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl, pushing it through with a rubber spatula. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming; let cool to room temperature. Stir in the remaining 1 teaspoon lime zest. Cover and refrigerate until completely set, at least 4 hours and up to 5 days.

LIME CURD TART

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix the butter and sugar together until they are just combined. Add the vanilla. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and salt, then add them to the butter-and-sugar mixture. Mix on low speed until the dough starts to come together. Dump onto a surface dusted with flour and shape into a flat disk. Press the dough into a 10-inch-round or 9-inch-square false-bottom tart pan, making sure that the finished edge is flat. Chill until firm.
• Butter 1 side of a square of aluminum foil to fit inside the tart and place it, buttered side down, on the pastry. Fill with beans or rice. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and beans, prick the tart all over with the tines of a fork, and bake again for 20 to 25 minutes more, or until lightly browned. Allow to cool to room temperature.
• Remove the zest of 4 limes with a vegetable peeler or zester, being careful to avoid the white pith. Squeeze the limes to make 1/2 cup of juice and set the juice aside. Put the zest in a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the sugar and process for 2 to 3 minutes, until the zest is very finely minced. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter with the sugar and lime zest. Add-- the eggs, 1 at a time, and then add the lime juice and salt. Mix until combined.
• Pour the mixture into a 2-quart saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 10 minutes. The lime curd will thicken at about 175 degrees F, or just below a simmer. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• Fill the tart shell with warm lime curd and allow to set at room temperature. Once set, serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.

LIME CURD

Steps:

• Combine yolks, lime zest, lime juice, and sugar in a saucepan. Whisk. Set over medium heat; stir constantly with a wooden spoon, making sure to stir sides and bottom of pan. Cook until thick enough to coat back of wooden spoon, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Remove saucepan from heat. Strain curd into a bowl. Add butter, a few pieces at a time; stir with wooden spoon until smooth.
• Lay plastic wrap directly on the curd's surface to keep a skin from forming; wrap tightly. Let cool; refrigerate until firm and chilled, at least 1 hour. Store refrigerated in an airtight container up to 2 days.

LIME CURD

Steps:

• Place fine strainer over medium glass bowl. Melt butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Remove from heat. Add sugar, lime juice, lime peel, and salt; whisk to blend. Add yolks and whisk until smooth. Return saucepan to medium heat and whisk constantly until curd thickens slightly and leaves path on back of spoon when finger is drawn across and instant-read thermometer inserted into curd registers 165°F (do not boil), 10 to 12 minutes (mixture will not be as thick as traditional curd but will resemble slightly thickened sauce). Pour curd into prepared strainer; discard solids in strainer. Place plastic wrap directly onto surface of curd and chill overnight. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 week ahead. Cover and keep chilled.

LIGHTER LEMON - LIME CURD (NO BUTTER)

Steps:

• In a small sauce pan, over medium heat, dissolve sugar into lemon juice. Add zest.
• Lightly beat egg in a small/medium bowl. Whisking constantly, slowly pour lemon/sugar syrup into the egg. Beat for 2 minutes (only 1 if you're using a mixer), then transfer back into the saucepan.
• Heat over low heat, stirring constantly, until it just starts to bubble at the edges. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
• Transfer to a small container and store in the fridge.